Galactic wakes and the Magellanic Stream

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Abstract
Fujimoto and Sofue showed that no self-consistent tidal model for the origin of the Magellanic Stream has yet been found; Mathewson et al. also raise observational objections to the tidal models. Therefore, we investigated several alternative formation models for the Stream in which the Magellanic Clouds pass through a hot tenuous gas (e.g., the vortex model of Mathewson et al.). Because each proposal suffers severe observational or theoretical difficulties, each is rejected. A self-consistent tidal model for the Stream may be possible if the LMC, SMC, and the Galaxy are more massive than is currently believed. We show that accretion of gas onto the Galaxy as discussed by Cox and Smith is inconsistent with the H I velocities at the tip of the Stream. Also, the importance of galactic wakes in clusters of galaxies is discussed.

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